Many rushed to buy guns when the coronavirus pandemic broke last month.
Our Contact 5 investigators looked at the numbers and found background checks for gun sales in March were the highest since January 2004.
Background checks for gun sales reach all-time high in Florida during coronavirus pandemic
Credit: WPTV News | West Palm Beach
Duration: 01:57s
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THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC BROKELAST MONTH.
OUR CONTACT 5INVESTIGATOR MERRIS BADCOCKLOOKED AT THE NUMBERS ANDFOUND BACKGROUND CHECKS FORGUN SALES LAST MONTH WERE THEHIGHEST SINCE JANUARY 2004.<< GUN SHOP OWNERS TELL MEMANY OF THE FOLKS GOING IN TOBUY GUNS WERE FIRST TIMEBUYERS.
AND TONIGHT THE WESTPALM BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENTHAS A MESSAGE FOR ALL GUNOWNERS TO HELP KEEP OUCOMMUNITY SAFE.
&UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD TWO TOTHREE WEEKS OF AN ARMAGEDDONTYPE OF SET UP.
WE LONG LINES,AMMO AND FIREARMS NEARLY WIPEDOUT.
MANY OF THEM FIRST- TIMEBUYERS.ÃWE HAD PEOPLE THATWERE BASICALLY OPENLYADMITTING THAT THEYOWNED A GUN, THEYUSED A GUN.ÃTHEY WEREPURCHASING FIREARMS AND THEYWERE ASKING QUESTIONS LIKE HOWTO USE THEM AND HOW TO TAKECARE OF THEM CONTACT 5 ASKEDFOR RECORDS FROM THE FLORIDADEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENTAND FOUND MARCH 2020 WAS THEHIGHEST MONTH ON RECORD WHENIT COMES TO BACKGROUND CHECKSFOR GUN PURCHASES, GOING BACKTO JANUARY 2004.
THATPERCENT INCREASE FROM THESECOND HIGHEST MONTH ONRECORD.ÃWEAUTO BURGLARIES.ÃTHERE HAVEBEEN SOME REPORTS THAT THEREARE WEAPONS BEING FOUND INTHESE AUTO BURGLARIES.
THATTRUE.
PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THEIRGUNS IN THEIR CARS.ÃWEREALLY LIKE PEOPLE TO NOTLEAVE THEIR WEAPONS IN THEIRCARS, CONSIDER LOCKING THEMSAFELY, TO PROTECT THEM FROMTHEIR KIDS AND FROM ANYONEELSE.
WEST PALM BEACH DEPUTYCHIEF OF POLICE, RICK MORRISSAYS ITPURCHASES THAT CAN BE APROBLEM FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT,BUT A LACK OF EDUCATION ANDTRAINING.ÃWITH A LOT OF NEWGUN OWNERS PURCHASING WEAPONSHOPEFULLY THEY ARE TAKINGTHESE SAFETY COURSES AND THEYARE COMPLYING WITH THESTANDARD.
WHETHER YOUA GUN FOR A FEW WEEKS OR ATWENTY YEARS, CONSIDER TAKINGA SAFETY COURSE SO YOU KNOWHOW TO USE YOUR WEAPON.
ANDREMEMBER LOCK YOUR CARS.MERRIS BADCOCK WPTVNEWSCHANNEL 5.